


black hole

by mildkat



Series: escapril 2020 [24]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-25
Updated: 2020-04-25
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:06:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23830531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mildkat/pseuds/mildkat
Summary: Kenma skips practice. Kuroo does not let it go by.
Relationships: Kozume Kenma/Kuroo Tetsurou
Series: escapril 2020 [24]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1685971
Comments: 5
Kudos: 108





	black hole

**Author's Note:**

> hello, happy escapril day twenty-four! as always, the title is the prompt. 
> 
> this little fic is specifically filling in the blanks of kuroo's "don't quit on me" flashback scene in season 1, episode 12. 
> 
> enjoy!

Kenma bitterly chastises himself for being bad at ditching practice. _Rookie mistake_ , he thinks. He left both his phone and his DS in the club room, and his hands are anxiously twisting around in his pockets without something to do. He can tell he’s walked far enough from the school when he reaches the overpass; cars and cyclists are starting to whizz by at the start of rush hour. 

He sits on the grass and once again thinks about how little he thought this through. He was gonna have to come back and face everyone, anyway. He doesn’t have a key to the club room, so he’d have to come back before everyone leaves. Even if he brought his phone and asks someone to hold onto it for him, the only person he’d be comfortable asking would be—

His gut twinges with guilt at the thought of Kuroo. He has the skill and talent to make it far in volleyball, but he somehow knows that leaving the team would derail his path. He imagines what practice must look like at this moment. They’re probably just wrapping up the warm-up stretches, and he pictures Kuroo leading the receiving drills. He can hear his voice, controlled and firm, talking them through their jumps. Kenma ended up so lost in thought that he jumps when he hears that same voice—quiet and unsure—speak behind him. 

“Since when do you skip practice?” 

Kenma hugs his knees to his chest and avoids eye contact, trying to ignore the way his chest is constricting. He listens to Kuroo walk closer. He’s relieved when he doesn’t sit with him on the ground, but gives him space and continues to stand. “You didn’t have to come look for me.” 

“Oh, but I did.” There are rare times when Kuroo isn’t completely transparent to him, when his voice is on guard and hiding. Kenma hated it. He hugged his knees tighter, not saying a word. When Kuroo continues, his voice comes out softer. “You should have at least brought your phone.” 

Still nothing. 

“Kenma. Please.”

The silence that stretched between them is so different from all the other silences that they share everyday. It was thick and suffocating, which made Kenma want to bury his body in the dirt. There was nothing he could say to Kuroo that he hadn’t told him before already. Lanky and leering and leering third years joking about everything that Kenma pushed deep within his brain. Lanky and leering third years tripping on status. Lanky and leering third years making him question why Kuroo was so close to him, why Kuroo defended him at every turn, potentially jeopardizing his goals. It was everything that made Kenma tick, chipping at him little by little until he couldn’t bear to be in the same room with them. He felt like a black hole—devoid of light, pulling everything apart and rendering it flat. The spaghettification of everything he loves. 

“Don’t quit on me.” Whereas Kuroo’s voice had just been removed and unreadable, it’s now a tone that Kenma could pick apart from a crowd: Kuroo’s no-bullshit, unwavering tone. One that conveyed such certainty that left zero room for any doubt. It was one of Kenma’s favourites. 

They stay there for a while, until the sun completely sets and the moon is high above. As they walk back to the school, Kenma mutters, “ _please_ tell me you have the club room keys.” 

Kuroo reaches into his pocket and jiggles them in the air. “What would you do without me?” 

Kenma ignores the question and asks another one. “Are you gonna get in trouble for skipping practice?” 

Kuroo shrugs with one shoulder. “Who cares what those third year jackasses think anyway.” 

“Says the successor to the throne.”

“I’ve never been a fan of thrones anyway.” Kuroo wrinkles his nose. “Kings, monarchies, blegh. How would you feel about a regime change?” 

Kenma’s lip quirks upward. “A republic?” 

“The most democratic fucking high school volleyball team in the country.” Kuroo wraps his arm around him. It’s dark enough that Kenma doesn’t bother to shake it off. “But make no mistake. All will tremble before me.”

**Author's Note:**

> thanks so much for reading! as always, comments/kudos would be a dream x


End file.
